(a) As described in this subchapter under §§ 42.07-35, 42.07-40, 42.09-15, and 42.09-20, the American Bureau of Shipping or other recognized classification societies approved as load line assigning and issuing authorities perform the duties connected with making load line assignments to vessels.

(b) The Commandant is responsible for the administration of the load line acts, the 1966 Convention, other treaties regarding load lines, and the implementing regulations in this subchapter which include prescribed form and content of applicable load line certificates.

(c) Except in special instances for Coast Guard vessels, the Commandant does not perform the duties of a load line assigning authority.

[CGFR 68-60, 33 FR 10057, July 12, 1968, as amended by CGFR 68-126, 34 FR 9013, June 5, 1969; CGD 80-120, 47 FR 5723, Feb. 8, 1982]

(a) Normally, the owner, master, or agent of a vessel shall apply in writing, on a timely basis, to the American Bureau of Shipping for the assignment, survey, and certification of load lines. When nonconcurrent, a separate application shall be made for each function desired and submitted on a timely basis. The mailing address of the home office of American Bureau of Shipping is ABS Plaza, 16855 Northchase Drive, Houston, TX 77060.

(b) After the Commandant has approved a recognized classification society as a load line assigning and issuing authority for a vessel, as described in a written request of the shipowner, the owner shall apply in writing, on a timely basis, direct to the approved assigning and issuing authority for the assignment, survey, and certification of load lines. When nonconcurrent, a separate application shall be made to such authority for each function desired, and submitted on a timely basis.

[CGFR 68-60, 33 FR 10057, July 12, 1968, as amended by CGFR 68-126, 34 FR 9013, June 5, 1969; CGD 96-041, 61 FR 50727, Sept. 27, 1996; USCG-2000-7790, 65 FR 58459, Sept. 29, 2000]

(a) The application for the assignment of load lines and certificate for a foreign vessel belonging to (or which will belong to) either a country ratifying or acceding to the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966, or to a country with which the United States of America has a reciprocal load line agreement in effect shall be made by the Government whose flag the vessel flies, or will fly. The application may be made direct to the American Bureau of Shipping, or after receiving the Commandant's approval, to a recognized classification society which that country has requested as an assigning and issuing authority. When the load line assignment and certificate are authorized pursuant to the requirements in this part, the certificate must contain a statement that it has been issued at the request of a specific Government, which shall be named therein.

(1) When the load line assignment is performed under the applicable regulations in this subchapter, the assigning and issuing authority shall transmit to the requesting Government at the earliest practicable date, one copy of each certificate issued, the load line survey report used for computing the freeboard, and the freeboard computations. For information, the assigning and issuing authority shall also notify the Commandant of the names of the vessel and the Government involved and the date and place where the work was done.

(b) For a foreign vessel of a country not included in paragraph (a) of this section, the owner, master, or agent normally shall apply in writing to the American Bureau of Shipping, or to any other recognized assigning and issuing authority after it has been approved by the Commandant, for the assignment, survey, and certification of load lines, or for reissue of a load line certificate, as may be necessary for the vessel to clear ports of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Territory of Guam, or other U.S. possessions. Normally the same requirements, conditions, procedures, distribution of applicable certificates, etc., shall be applied to such foreign vessels which are applied to similar U.S.-flag vessels of 150 gross tons or over.

[CGFR 68-60, 33 FR 10058, July 12, 1968, as amended by CGFR 68-126, 34 FR 9013, June 5, 1969]

(a) The owner, master, or agent of a vessel having load lines assigned under this subchapter may apply to the assigning and issuing authority for timber load lines when making his application for a load line certificate. After the vessel has been found in compliance with the applicable requirements in this subchapter, it may be marked with timber load lines, which will also be certified to in the load line certificate.

[CGFR 68-60, 33 FR 10058, July 12, 1968, as amended by CGFR 68-126, 34 FR 9013, June 5, 1969]

(a) The owner, master, or agent of a vessel holding a load line certificate shall apply to the assigning and issuing authority who issued the certificate for the annual survey required by § 42.09-40 or the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966.

[CGFR 68-60, 33 FR 10058, July 12, 1968]